I've never been a big fan of Clinique. It started in high school when I used their products and they didn't work for my skin, at all. Then, when I fell in love with skin and began reading about ingredients and different product lines, I finally understood why I didn't like them. So when I heard about their Acne Solutions Foundation w/ salicylic acid, I had to check it out. I try to keep up with as much stuff regarding to skin as I can but it is impossible to do it, unfortunately. This one got away from me because when I started my research, I found that it has been around since 2010! Yikes!
My first thought about have an ingredient like salicylic acid in a product like foundation, that sits on your skin all day, was that there was no way this was healthy. Now that I have done more reading, I don't disagree with myself. :)
My client, who told me about it, said that she stopped using it because her skin became too dry. That is because that acid dries up all the oil in the skin. Of course you see it in a lot of products these days but not often will you find it in a  daytime product that is a leave-on.

My biggest problem with this is that people don't know the long-term damage they are doing to their skin. I can pretty much bet that Clinique is not educating their customers on salicylic acid.
When I read reviews online, people were saying how dry it made their skin, the foundation turned orange mid-day and made their acne worse. I would love to try this out on my skin but I'm on the dry side anyway and don't suffer from acne or breakouts so I am not a good tester.
Bottom Line: Please avoid this foundation and any other foundation with this ingredient (yes, there are others!). Acne needs to be taken care of with proper skin care products NOT makeup. Come see me if you need guidance. I want to help! :)

Skin Care Coaching

It's been around for a long time but there are so many oils that are beneficial to your skin these days that it's hard to keep track of what we should and shouldn't use. Argan, Macadamia Nut, Olive, etc. They are all good for different reasons so I guess it is really about what you are looking for the oil to do for you. The best part is, it's not expensive. You don't have to pay a fortune to get the benefits of this amazing oil. Here are some reasons why I am going to incorporate grapeseed oil into my skin care routine...
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1. Great for oily skin- It can help regulate the oil production in your skin. Use at night.
2. Great for dry skin- It is a great moisturizer especially in the winter when you find your skin to be more dry or even chapped.
3. Fast Absorption- This is a lightweight oil so it will absorb quickly and not leave the skin feeling greasy. You can use this all over your body too. Mix with your body lotion/cream or alone.

4. Antioxidants- Yes, it contains antioxidants so it will protect you from those nasty free radicals that are determined to destroy your skin.
5. Collagen- Grapeseed oil protects the collagen in your skin and that is what keeps your skin firm. It also improves the production of elastin and hyaluronic acid (which helps bind moisture to the skin).
6. Skin Tone- Used daily and consistently, it may help your skin become more even and brighter.

So the holidays are here and New Years is just around the corner. That means lots and lots of pictures! Pictures you will be looking at for a very long time. Wouldn't be nice to finally love what you see and not feel the need to photoshop? Here are some tips that will be Facebook ready!
1. Makeup- Make sure your foundation (including the powder) is photo friendly. This way when the flash hits your face, you won't turn white.
2. Focus your eyes just slightly above the camera lens.
3. Put your tongue behind your teeth and smile. It will relax your face. Try it!
4. Practice the model pose- Turn your body three quarters of the way toward the camera, with one foot in front of the other and one shoulder closer to the photographer. When you face forward, your body tends to look wider.
5. Standing Photos- Shoulders back, spine straight, suck in stomach.
6. Sitting Photos- Shoulders back, spine straight, suck in stomach. :) Yep, same thing.
7. Angling your body is important and this may take practice. Luckily we have digital cameras now so we can do this over and over again until we figure out our best angle and pose. (find a friend for this one) Keep your arm at your waist but find a way to do it naturally. Sticking one leg out and your hip at an angle is flattering to shape of your body. Point it different ways at the camera. Straight on is the leastflattering because it can make you look wide (even if you're not).
8. The camera adds 10lbs (ugh!)- To make the face appear slimmer, tilt you head up slightly while turning it 3/4 — or angle your camera slightly above your head while tilting your face halfway. Never take a photo from eye’s level it will flatten your face.
9. Know your colors and what looks good on you! You can do all the steps above but if you are wearing the wrong colors or the wrong outfit, none of it may matter. On the flip side, if you LOVE what you wear and are confident, that goes a long way! Black does notlook good on everyone...sorry. :(
10. On a night that I know pictures will be taken, I always take pictures of myself first. That way I know if I will like my hair, makeup, jewelry, etc in pictures. What I see in the mirror is not always what I see in pictures.

Curious about the BB Creams you’ve been seeing advertised? In most countries, the “BB” stands for Beauty Balm. In Asian countries it once meant Blemish Balm but now goes by Beauty Balm or the shorter BB Cream. Whatever name they go by, these products are claimed to do everything, from creating a flawless complexion to reducing pore size, healing breakouts, controlling oil, and lightening dark spots. That’s quite the to-do list!
Despite the hoopla fueled by the cosmetics industry and many beauty bloggers, BB creams are not must-have products. Essentially, the BB creams (Beauty Balms) sold in Western countries are little more than tinted moisturizers with sunscreen.
Overall, whether you use a BB cream or a tinted moisturizer, these products are all about convenience: sun protection, moisture, and sheer skin tone–correcting color from one product. The formulas differ widely from company to company, but sun protection and light coverage color are the norms.
Some BB creams have a thicker, creamier texture; some offer a bit more coverage than standard tinted moisturizers. As a personal preference, you may or may not care for the thicker texture—especially if you have oily, combination, or breakout-prone skin. The BB creams from U.S. brands—such as Garnier, Estee Lauder, and Smashbox—tend to have thinner, more lotion-like textures; they are nearly indistinguishable from tinted moisturizers with sunscreen, except maybe a bit more coverage.
The take-away message here is this: BB creams aren’t anything special and most claims of their extra abilities are marketing fluff, not reality. There are some great BB creams available, but even they are not must-have products. Really, the best reason to consider a BB cream is if you want more coverage than a tinted moisturizer, but not as much coverage as a standard foundation. Otherwise, this is a trend you can feel comfortable to ignore. If you find this trend too hard to ignore, make sure you use the best ones, and don’t get seduced by the does-it-all claims.
And don't forget what I have said about sunscreen in makeup products. It's not enough protection. You have to wear about 7x more bb cream to get that number on the bottle. Keep sunscreen separate and make it part of your skin care routine, not your makeup routine.